Today I spoke with several people about this project, including Janet Roberts at the Maine State Archives re. applying for grants: one for a consultant to assess the collection at the Woman’s Literary Union and another grant for purchasing archival products to store and protect the collection.
I have sent an e-mail to three different consultants to find one who is interested and to determine fees and services provided. I have asked the WLU members to ask the board if there is already a board position that could include the preservation and maintenance of the collection as part of its duties and/or to create a position for that purpose. Perhaps the collection would become part of the secretary’s job duties. If not, perhaps a historian position could be created.
The e-mails I sent to the consultants was similar to this:
Today I spoke with Janet Roberts re. an Independent Study project I am
undertaking as part of my undergraduate work in the Arts & Humanities
program at the University of Southern Maine Lewiston Auburn College.
Professor Eve Raimon is overseeing my project.
Janet offered information to help me in writing a grant for the
Woman’s Literary Union of Androscoggin County, located in Auburn,
which is the focus of my project. I want to process their collection
of historical documents so that the collection is available for all
researchers. Over the years, WLU has had members and others interested
in using these documents but this has never been done in an organized
manner. I would like to change that and set up a permanent archive
with a designated committee or board member to oversee the use and
maintenance of the collection.
My interest in the collection is from a humanities perspective. I am
looking forward to reading the correspondence and handwritten minutes
of meetings that date back to the early days of the non-profit club
which was organized in 1892. Over the years, the WLU has been
instrumental in monumental civic projects such as establishing local
kindergartens, city beautification projects, instructing women in the
use of electric stoves, and so much more. The collection is truly
fascinating, but needs to be preserved for generations to come. I think that once a professional
Finding Aid is created, historians will want to see the collection. I
created a basic Finding Aid and you can see it on my blog at
http://literaryclubs.wordpress.com/2011/03/11/week-7/
WLU is interested in having a consultant with experience in processing
a collection visit WLU to assess its collection and give a workshop in
archival training to the club’s members involved in this project.
We need to know, if you are interested, what your services are and how
much you charge so that we can apply to the Maine State Archives for a
consultant grant.
Stay tuned for more!
